The En Guarde Merit Scholarship

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Scholarship Overview

The YFC committee will select one exemplary fencer to receive the Youth Fencing Chicago’s En Garde Merit Scholarship of $1500, in addition to a complete set of fencing gear generously donated by Blue Gauntlet. The selected student must demonstrate financial need, academic excellence, extracurricular achievement, leadership, and commitment to their communities.

Eligibility Requirements

  • Be enrolled full-time at one of the high schools located in Illinois during the 2024-2025 academic school year.
  • Demonstrate a financial need.
  • Demonstrate academic rigor. Current unweighted cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher.
  • Demonstrate leadership abilities.
  • Must be a fencer.
  • Must not have previously received a YFC Grant or Scholarship.
  • YFC members and families are not eligible for this scholarship.

All Applicants Must:

Answer the following statement:

  • Everyone belongs to many communities and/or groups defined by shared geography, religion, ethnicity, income, interest, race, ideology, intellectual heritage, etc. Choose one of the communities to which you belong, and describe that community, your place within it, and how that community has shaped you.

Application Dates

This application opens February 18, 2025, and closes on June 12, 2025.

Grant Awards
Sponsored In Part By:

Youth Fencing Chicago does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or other similar factors.

The En Guarde Merit Scholarship

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About You

The scholarship is to support fencers. We understand that not all fencers can afford to belong to a club. However, all fencer do fence somewhere, please let us know where you fence.

Your High School

Essay

Everyone belongs to many communities and/or groups defined by shared geography, religion, ethnicity, income, interest, race, ideology, intellectual heritage, etc. Choose one of the communities to which you belong, and describe that community, your place within it, and how that community has shaped you.

Extracurricular

List your community service activities and volunteer work:

*You can list up to 5 services.

List your extracurricular activities, including sports, clubs, and organizations:

*You can list up to 5 activities.

List any awards or honors you have received:

*You can list up to 5.

Family

References

Acknowledgement *

Scholarship winners will be announced no later than June 1, 2025. At that time, each scholarship awardee must email one digital photo to Youth Fencing Chicago to be used in a press release to local newspapers and YFC website. Winners MUST attend an award presentation during the USA Fencing Summer Nationals in Milwaukee, WI ( final date and time to be determined). If the winner will not be attending the USA Fencing Summer Nationals, the winner must notify YFC immediately. If the winner is unavailable to attend the ceremony, the scholarship will not be granted. Awardees will be photographed at the award presentation and the photographs will be used in press release to local newspapers and will also be posted on the YFC website.

Release of Information Waiver *

Applicant information will be shared between Youth Fencing Chicago and its donor(s). Applicant grants permission for YFC to contact applicant's high school and other relevant contacts for verification of information contained in this scholarship application, including their academic transcripts, SAT or ACT scores, and all attachments. By signing this form, you also provide permission for Youth Fencing Chicago to use your image in publications, press releases, website, and other media that are used to distribute information about Youth Fencing Chicago and its programs.

Certification of Accuracy *